
The mayor of Weatherford has issued a demand to the Parker County judge over the Confederate statue on courthouse grounds.
The United Daughters of the Confederacy last month sent a letter to the Commissioners Court, expressing its desire to relocate the statue to prevent it from being damaged or defaced.
Parker County Judge Pat Deen says while he is pushing to get the statue relocated, the UDC must do it at its own expense, since it's the one that owns it.
In an impassioned speech at the outset of Tuesday night's City Council meeting, Weatherford Mayor Paul Paschall said the statue must go.
"At this time with the full support of the City Council, as the mayor of Weatherford, Texas, I formally request that County Judge Pat Deen and the Commissioners Court publicly approve a date-certain action plan with the Daughters of the Confederacy to have the statue relocated," Mayor Paschall said to thunderous applause by those in attendance at Tuesday night's meeting.
The statue was the site of protests last weekend that descended to violence between protestors and counter-protestors.
Mayor Paschall condemned the violence.
"The right to assemble and protest peacefully, regardless of individual opinion, is a right that is granted by our Constitution, and it's something we fully support in the City of Weatherford," said Paschall "The inappropriate actions that occurred are not condoned in any shape, form or fashion by the city of Weatherford, its mayor, its City Council, its citizens or business community."
The Parker County Commissioners Court is scheduled to take up the issue at a special meeting Thursday.